Water Strider

About the Water Strider

They walk on water using hydrophobic leg hairs that trap air and prevent the legs from breaking the surface tension. They detect prey through ripples on the water surface. They can reach speeds of 1.5 meters per second on water. Over 1,700 species, including 5 ocean-dwelling species that live on the open sea. They are among the few insects that live on the ocean surface. Their legs distribute their weight across a large surface area. They are predatory and cannibalistic.